Monday, 1 May 2017

I think the
Celtic Challenge
must be one of the most undersung
endurance tests I have witnessed.
Open boats
(Celtic longboats)
are rowed by crews of 4 and cox from Arklow to Aberystwyth;
journey time is between 18 and 30 hours, with teams of 12 spelling the
boat duties. The sea is cold and quickly becomes rough.
Additionally, it is dark at night.

Vartry coming through the harbour trap, to Irish delight

The race is run every 2 years: weather cancelled the 2016 event which
was postponed until this year. About 15 crews left Arklow on
Coastguard advice at noon, Friday 28th. Tracking software predicted
the winner arriving at Aber harbour at 6am on Saturday, and I actually
thought about getting up to see this happen. But then I thought
"stuff it", which was good as overnight the weather had been unkind
and
the prediction had become 10am.

Aber coming through the harbour trap

First over the line was the Irish Vartry crew, with Aber men coming in
just 30 minutes later, both boats receiving enormous applause. The
very unkind conditions caused all but one of the other crews to
retire: third in was a women's boat.

Brave boys and girls embark on a mid-ocean rescue trip

It is, of course, event of the year (well, every other year) for the
longboat clubs and so very well known in some communities. But
Aberystwyth town makes little of it: no sign of
the BBC,
S4C,
Cambrian News,
or even the ubiquitous
Keith Morris.
Well, I'm doing my bit.